Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua are prime targets – sovereign independent nations Pompeo and other Trump regime hardliners want transformed into US vassal states, military action one of their options.

On January 10, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will be sworn in for another six-year term. Last May, he was overwhelmingly re-elected by a two-thirds majority, a far greater margin than predicted.

Scores of international observers from 30 countries monitored the election, including former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, saying:

“I do not have any doubt about the voting process. It is an advanced automatic voting system. I come here to keep the peace, coordinate and promote dialogue to improve the democratic mechanism here,” adding:

“What I need to do here is to see whether people can cast their ballots at their own discretion. Now we all see how people vote, don’t we?”

Other international observers called the electoral process open, free and fair, the atmosphere calm, no incidents reported, no irregularities other than minor corrected ones.

The Trump regime and hardline regional ruling authorities refused to recognize the election results. Deputy State Department spokesman Robert Palladino blamed Maduro for US economic war hardships imposed on the country.

A combination of US political, economic, financial, sanctions, trade, and propaganda war took its toll, harming ordinary Venezuelans most.

Trump regime sanctions include prohibiting US individuals and entities from purchasing Venezuelan debt. They ban all financial transactions with the country. They target its digital currency transactions and gold exports.

Despite largely US inflicted hardships on the country and its people, all state institutions function as intended, including its ministries and armed forces.

In 2018, around 75% of national revenue went for healthcare, education, and other social services. Millions of poor Venezuelans get government subsidized food.

In December municipal elections, ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) candidates won over 90% of contested positions. The alternative is US-supported fascist tyranny.

Venezuelan governance is severely challenged but not collapsing. The Trump regime aims to push it over the edge.

Venezuela’s May presidential election “lack(ed) legitimacy due to the lack of participation of all Venezuelan political actors, nor the presence of independent international observers, nor the guarantees and standards necessary for a free, fair and transparent process.”

All of the above remarks are Big Lies, scripted by Washington, repeated by US-controlled Latin American regimes, saying:

They “urged Nicolas Maduro not to assume the presidency on January 10, 2019…” They called for restoration of fascist tyranny in Venezuela, masquerading as democratic governance.

They agreed on “(r)eevaluat(ing) the status of diplomatic relations with Venezuela” – refusing to recognize Maduro’s legitimacy as president.

Last September, they called on the International Criminal Court toinvestigate and consider prosecuting senior Venezuelan officials.

Pompeo’s Latin America visit to Peru, Brazil and Colombia was all about promoting regime change in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, turning truth on its head, saying:

The US “support(s) the people (of these countries) in restoring their democratic governance (sic) and their human rights (sic).”

Venezuela’s Foreign Ministry denounced Pompeo intrusion where he doesn’t belong, saying he “seek(s) to subjugate and violate the sovereignty and self-determination of the Venezuelan people.”

Separately, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza tweeted: “What we have been affirming since the creation of this group of cartelized governments against Venezuela, which in theory does not belong to the US government: they meet to receive orders from @realDonaldTrump through @SecPompeo. What a display of humiliating subordination!”

On January 1, fascist Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro was inaugurated. His vice president,retired general Hamilton Mourao, earlier said a military coup in Venezuela is possible, calling it a “force for peace,” adding “very well elaborated plans” are in place for military intervention.

Are Bolsonaro and Colombia’s fascist president Ivan Duque plotting a coup against Muduro in cahoots with Trump regime hardliners?

Is part of the plot the intention to use neighboring Colombian territory as a platform to launch it?

Stephen Lendman was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. In 1956, he received a BA from Harvard University. Two years of US Army service followed, then an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960. After working seven years as a marketing research analyst, he joined the Lendman Group family business in 1967. He remained there until retiring at year end 1999. Writing on major world and national issues began in summer 2005. In early 2007, radio hosting followed. Lendman now hosts the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network three times weekly. Distinguished guests are featured. Listen live or archived. Major world and national issues are discussed. Lendman is a 2008 Project Censored winner and 2011 Mexican Journalists Club international journalism award recipient.

About Stephen

Stephen Lendman was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. In 1956, he received a BA from Harvard University. Two years of US Army service followed, then an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1960. After working seven years as a marketing research analyst, he joined the Lendman Group family business in 1967.